The invention relates to a toy article which is among other things suitable as a collector""s item and/or for use in games, which toy article comprises a handle.
Such a toy article is known per se and is for example added to boxes of cornflakes or to bags of potato crisps. A very well-known example of such a toy article is the so-called flippo(copyright). This is a round disc of for example laminated cardboard or plastic on which a picture is printed and which among other things is used as a collector""s item for children and as an aid in playing games. An object of the invention is to provide a toy article of the kind referred to in the preamble which offers additional possibilities, in particular with regard to playing games.
In order to accomplish that objective, the toy article according to the invention is characterized by a coupling piece for effecting a connection with a second toy article, which coupling piece is attached to said handle via a connecting element, which gives way when a predetermined force or torque is exerted thereon.
Such a toy article can be coupled to a second toy article by the user, which second toy article may be identical to the first toy article. Then one user or both users can generate a force or a torque until the connecting element in one of the two toy articles gives way. Thus it becomes possible to play a game or a match, of which for example the user of the toy article whose coupling piece has not given way is held to be the winner.
It is preferable for the connecting element to give way by breaking loose at a predetermined force or torque. The toy article from which the connecting element has broken loose is visibly defective in that case and can no longer form part of the population of potentially participating specimens. Moreover, the coupling piece that has broken loose and/or the handle may serve as a trophy for the winner of the game.
When the part of the coupling piece that is intended to be coupled to a second toy article is shaped to be able to be coupled to a coupling piece that is identical in shape, the toy articles that form part of the aforesaid population can all have an identical shape. This has advantages from a production point of view, since only one mould or set of moulds will be required in that case. In addition, every owner of such a toy article will be able to play a game or a match with every other owner.
A very suitable embodiment is one wherein the part of the coupling piece that is intended to be coupled to a second toy article comprises a projection and a cavity that is complementary to said projection. It has become apparent that when such a configuration is used, the first and the second toy article can easily be fitted together, and that in addition it is possible to exert a sufficiently large force or torque on the connecting element or the connecting elements. If the projection is moreover wedge-shaped, the coupling pieces will interlock when a connection is being effected, so that the coupling piece of one toy article will remain connected to the coupling piece of the other toy article after one of the connecting elements has given way, and it can be released at a later stage.
Furthermore it is preferably for the coupling piece to be connected to the handle or to the connecting element by means of a once-only snap connection. Such a snap connection can be easily effected and it can only be broken by visibly and permanently damaging at least one of the parts that are involved in the connection.
In one preferred embodiment of the toy article according to the invention the coupling piece or the handle comprises a cylindrical portion, by means of which it is fixed in a cylindrical cavity in the handle or in the coupling piece, respectively. When such an embodiment is used, a torque that is generated can be effectively transmitted to the connecting element. With such a toy article the connecting element is preferably fixed to the wall or to the bottom of the cylindrical cavity.
Furthermore it is preferred that there is a certain amount of play between the coupling piece on the one hand and the connecting element and/or the handle on the other hand. Since said play allows some freedom of movement between the parts adjoining or surrounding each other, it is possible to verify, before starting the game or the match, whether the toy article has been tampered with, for example by glueing the coupling piece to the handle.
The invention further pertains to a collection of a number of the toy articles as described above. Such a collection may e.g. be distributed over a (large) number of consumer products and/or be used in a game or game show.